Transformation - Realization of the Truth
by Branir
Summary: A Final Fantasy story about Zack and a record of events that happened before his little *trip* to ShinRa mansion with Sephiroth, and stories about what happened to him after ward. R&R please i hope to add on to it as I go, so don't be too upset if I didn'
1. Default Chapter

It was around noon now, and Zack's shift was almost over. After   
this he had some chores to run. It was rumored that inspection time was   
coming up, and he had to do his routine equipment check up. The minute  
hand on his wrist watch seemed like it hadn't moved all day, he couldn't keep his eyes from closing. " Sector 7 stop, coming up, please look around to be sure your not leaving any of your personal items behind. Have a nice day." sounded the loud speaker.  
  
" Well, this is where I get off." Muttered Zack to himself, punching in the code to unlock the door.  
  
The train slowed then halted by the platform, Zack waited till he heard the sound of the preasure break's lock to open the door. He hopped out, he was glad to finally be able to move around and was beginning to enjoy his newfound freedom when a wave of train passangers disembarking from no particular exit trampled him merciesly. The crowd disappeared into the streets just as quickly as it had arrived and Zack found himself laying on the ground bruised and forgotten. This was why quiting time was always the most painful part of the day. But he was getting use to the crowded streets of Midgar.   
  
Standing, he brushed himself off, he was in far better shape today than he had been yesterday. " This time I got off the train with out having to go to the ER first." he mused, exaggerating a bit. He couldn't help but make fun of himself sometimes. He had a tendancy to do things in the funniest way possible. Yawning loudly, he began stretching his arms. Standing around all day was harder work than one would think. His sword, which he kept slung across his back, made a metal to metal 'clink' noise as he leaned up against a nearby lamp-post by the worn, stone stairs.  
  
Midgar seemed to have a dark shadow cast over it 24 hours a day. This was caused by the large metal plate that loomed over the town. Whatever sunlight was able to leak through the polluted clouds in the sky, was mostlikely reflected by the large metal disk, refusing it's entry.  
  
A breeze swept by him swirling several newspaper articles into the air above him, " I'll just wait here till the train leaves." He thought quietly to himself. Several children ran down the steps and over to a nearby chain-link fence. Staring out into the graveyard of trains that would never run again, Zack wondered how everyone was getting along without him. Zack wasn't native to Midgar, or even this part of the world for that matter, he was from Gongaga. He had lived there with his parents, who were a little old when they had him. His older brother of 20 years had left to seek his fortune in Midgar when Zack was only 2.   
  
The whistle sounded and the train began to move. The red coated ShinRa employees quickly got back on and slid the doors shut. The last person who had gotten of was a tall black man with a young girl sitting on his shoulders. He acknowledged Zack's existance with a friendly nod." Well Marlene, this is our new home." The man sighed in a tone that resembled false happiness. Stopping to look around a bit,the man hung his head in sorrow, " It's like this everywhere we go, never changing. The reactors, ShinRa ... It's all their fault. But soon it will change, one day the world will be like it was, like it was 20 years ago." He muttered so that Zack could barely hear. " It's terrible what ShinRa has done to this world, but I promise to make it right, Dyne would want it that way."  
  
The girl, no older than 3 climbed down from her 'perch' and giggled, she took the left hand of who seemed to be her father. The mans other arm lay dead at his side, an artifical one. " C'mon Marlene, let's go." he said a bit happier, as he lead the child further into the slums.  
  
Zack watched as the man and his daughter left. He recalled not long ago, his hometown had suffered from a Mako reactor problem. He had to admit that the man was right, ShinRa was a terrible company. Why was he working for them, when he knew the wrongs they had done. Was it because of the money? He was beginning to think that this life style was the wrong one for him. He couldn't remember what had made him enter soldier in the first place though.   
  
His parents were opposed to his carrier choice, they claimed that ShinRa was only trouble, that it had ruined their town and their lives. Naturally Zack shrugged of his parents and joined up anyways, what kind of rebelious teenager would do other wise? Then it dawned on him, " My uncle," he said aloud, " I joined because I wanted to experience the same life that my uncle lived before he joined The Turks." He desided that that must have been his reason. 


	2. Fixing the sword part 1

Zack entered the Butcher Block, a bar in the Walmarket area of Midgar. He was led here on a rumor that the owner of the dress shop, was in fact a expert weapons smith who wanted to remain known as such with the exceptions of extreme emergancies. This was just the person that Zack needed now. He had tried the dress shop earlier, but the owner's daughter said her father spent all his time at the bar.   
  
He remembered that earlier that morning he had heard that inspection time was drawing near, and it could come when he least expected it. Sorrowfully, Zack had run his finger along the once razor sharp blade of his sword, he had to admit, it had seen its share of battles. The sword was worn, nicked a little too hard in a few places. It was almost depressing just looking at it.  
  
So there he was, standing in the middle of a room filled with the stench of of beer and cigarettes, searching hopefully for a man who made dresses for a living. "Come to think of it, what kind of expert weapons smith would make dresses?" he grunted to himself, peering through the crowd at the man who appeared to own the establishment. He pushed his way through the sea of people until he was in front of the owner, " You wouldn't have seen the dress shop owner here have you? I really need to talk to him." The large balding man simply stared at Zack, raising an eyebrow in a frightened confused manner.  
  
" Let me get this strait." Said the man, snickering, " you need to find the dress shop owner?" Zack blinked and then nodded. " Why? You need a dress son?" cackled the man, almost falling over on poor Zack.  
  
Zack had been about to explain his dire weapondry situation, when he recalled that the weapons smith didn't want all of Midgar rushing to his front door in need of mini-lazer gatling guns, Ultima weapons, and Masamunes. So he nodded, " Yeah, I need a dress, or something like that."  
  
At this the owner responded by ceasing his laughter, drawing in a deep breath, and then laughing madly once again. When he finally calmed down and caught his breath, he simply pointed down to the end of the bar and said, " There *snicker* he is my boy *wheeze* hope you find everything you need *cackle*." Zack nodded and thanked the man, who was now too busy cracking up to notice. He walked over and sitting at the bar by the man, he turned to look at him.  
  
" Hey, you the dress shop owner?" he asked, watching the man empty his glass. The man didn't look at him, instead he just ordered another drink and downed that one as well. Zack waved his hand in front of the mans face," Did you hear me?" he growled, almost wishing that he didn't need this man alive.   
  
The old man eyed him and took of his hat and held it in his hands, " Do yah want to look . . . pretty?" he asked in an old mans tone, waving his head from side to side. " I don't think I have anything in yer size though."   
  
" Listen, I came to you looking for someone that could repair my sword." he said, getting a little annoyed at how long this was taking. " I've got the money, so could you help me out?"  
  
The old man blinked at him and then smiled stupidly," I'm sorry sonny, I can't help yah, yah see, I didn't hear a word yah said, my friend Joe here's talking a little too loud." he said put his arm around the shoulder of someone that wasn't even there. The old man politely ordered three drinks, one for Zack, one for himself, and one for his invisible drinking buddy.  
  
Zack shook his head and looked at the glass, then lifted it to his lips and took a gulp. He looked over at the old man, who was now attempting to beat the invisible drunkard in a friendly game of rock paper scissors, and worst of all, he wasn't winning. Frustrated the man hurled his glass at the large mass of nothingness and it struck the owner of the bar on the toe. The fat bald man yelped in pain and was beginning to hop around on his good foot. He old man got to his feet, realizing that he had missed the invisible bar fly, he panicked and ran out the door. Zack followed him, maybe now he would fix his sword.  
  
Zack found himself back at the dress shop, where the old man was standing behind the counter. The man looked at Zack as he entered and shrieked," You'll never take me alive, it wasn't me, I swear ta Gad!" he exclaimed taking a nearby broomstick and thrusting it out in front of him," I never stole anything in my life, but if yah insist on badgerin' me 'bout those damn ice cream bars then we must do battle!" he yelled jabbing hopelessly at Zack with the broom.  
" Hey cut it out, I'm not here to arrest you!" Zack shouted grabbing the end of the broom and jerking it away from the man.  
  
" But, but my sword." the old man said, he looked at the broom, getting a little teary eyed. " Wait your not here to take me in?" he examined Zack's face and smiled, " Ah its you, what was it that yah wanted back at the bar?" 


End file.
